Clinging by their fingernails, the Nutty Irishmen held on to topple the defending B champs Klash-B 10-8 in a wide-open shootout. With the title win, the Nutty Irishmen win the Long Island Cup in their first Hockey Long Island season.

After a pedestrian 1-0 start, the Nutty Irishmen seized control late in the first with five goals in the last five minutes. They continued to tack on in the second and held an 8-3 lead middle of the period. The match appeared settled but, per their championship pedigree, the Klash mounted a comeback charge. Three unanswered goals closed to the gap to 8-6 and, when Chris Genova scored with 6 minutes remaining, the Irish lead shrank to one, 9-8. Cue B League MVP Mike Leprine. Just seven seconds after the Klash scored to close within one, Leprine launched a mid-ice heat seeker that somehow found the back of the net. Stunned, the Klash had no response and the Irishmen skated to their first championship. Leprine, the Irishmen's alpha defenseman, scored in each of the four Irishmen playoff wins.

With four first period goals, the Flyers had more than enough scoring to fend off all Snipe rally attempts to garner the C League championship 6-4. The win defends the Flyers' Fall 14 championship and is their second LI Cup in as many seasons.

While offense was plentiful, the key to this Flyers' championship run was defense. In two decisive playoff wins, the Flyers stymied the Snipes high powered offense. The Flyers spirited defensive effort was headed by defensemen C League MVP Justin Sparacio. Sparacio (and company) smothered the Snipes' forward attack, which enabled the Flyers to sufficiently counterattack and negate the Snipes speed advantage.

Again playing it down to the nub, the Morkmen capitalized on a late power play to eke past a charging Bombers squad 3-2 and grab the D1 championship. This latest title is the organization's first D1 crown and doubles up their fall D2 championship. The club now has four LI cups.

In this championship game, as in the previous one, the Morkmen worked an early 2-0 margin. Controlling much of the play, they consistently generated choice scoring opportunities. They did not, however, cash in and, predictably, the hibernating Bombers offense stirred in the third. With the ice tilted heavily towards the Morkmen's end, the Bombers gritted their way to tie with four minutes to go. Uncle Mo had clearly shifted and a Bomber gamewinner seemed inevitable.

Reeling, the Morkmen needed a break and the hockey gods obliged. Taking advantage of a fortuitous tripping penalty, Brian Rohe scored the championship winner during a frenetic goalmouth scrum that one expects with a title in the balance. The Morkmen won another whiteknuckler backboned by defense and goaltending. Anchoring their solid back line was D1 MVP Eric Krupka. Whether disrupting play in the neutral zone or backend, retrieving the puck and efficiently clearing the zone, or, when needed, carrying the puck and holding the offensive blueline, Krupka often commanded his shifts and dictated play.

Winner's Bracket

D2 - A-Bomb - Azevedo's trick leads LI-Bombers past Morkmen 6-4

D1 - Bombs Away - LI-Bombers explode NWO 9-2

Loser's Bracket

D3 - Late Bingo - Morkmen score two in last three to advance past NWO 4-2

Breaking open the match with a four goal third, 2G1P denied the Panthers 6-2 to snatch the E1 crown by winning the requisite two games coming from the losers bracket. This championship is 2G1P's first E1 title and second Long Island Cup.

In both championship games, 2G1P etablished 2-0 first period leads. Unlike the previous champ game, 2G1P did not fully squander this two goal lead. After the Panthers closed to 2-1, Joe Finneran and Matt Coon scored 27 seconds apart middle third to open an insurmountable lead. Securing the championship was netminder E1 MVP Brandon Foster. In the third, Foster made several highlight saves as he maintained both focus and composure amidst the frantic Panther last gasp. Throughout the playoffs, Foster allowed just seven goals in five games and registered a 94% save percentage.

Spotting a one goal first period deficit, PLT scored thrice in the second and held off a spirited Ice Dogs attempt to win the E2 championship 3-2. With the victory, PLT notched their first LI Cup in three and a half years and seventh overall.

After yielding a late first period goal, PLT spurted for three second period goals. Igniting the offensive outburst was E2 League MVP Kevin Mohr. Mohr, who scored the previous gamewinner, broke in free and double deked to squeeze the puck off the left post and in. A minute later, Steve Fonovich put PLT ahead for good and Joe Capobianco potted the gamewinner later in the period. The Ice Dogs valiantly pressured PLT in the third. They closed within one middle of the third, but could not muster the equalizer despite several prime chances.

In perhaps their most impressive game of the season, Effin Gruven controlled play from the drop to shake in dispatching Fire and Ice 8-3 to clinch the 3C championship. Gruven needed to emerge from the loser's bracket to repeat their fall 3C title and earn their third overall LI Cup.

After closing the first period with a 1-0 lead, Gruven exploded for five second period goals which determined this contest early. Effin Gruven's attack was spearheaded by 3C League MVP John Carroll. In a tour-de-force performance, Carroll tallied six goals and assisted on another. Disruptive, opportunistic, and precise, Carroll was dominant. One step ahead, Carroll was everywhere and anywhere as he scored in tight and from distance and on the rush and off the check. Throughout the match, Fire and Ice had no answer for Carroll's ubiquity as he scored the last five goals.

In a taut up-and-down affair, Klash-D came from behind to finally subdue a scrappy Scorpion squad 2-1 and claim the tightly contested 3D championship. With this title, Klash-D garnered their third Long Island Cup, all in the 3D division.

To earn the championship, the Klash had to derail a surging Scorpions freight that initially scrambled to get into the playoffs but then steamrolled a couple of higher seeded teams. The Scorpions continued their playoff momentum in this match and took a 1-0 lead middle of the second. The Klash, however, proved stout and generated constant offensive pressure that finally penetrated the goal line late in the second on a Gary Lanza redirect off a determined Anthony Fiamma feed. The Klash continued their push in the third and, off similar dogged pressure, Chris Shaleeshi put back a kitchen rebound for what proved the title winner.

The Klash still needed to finish and with 10 minutes to go the Scorpions brought the effort that saw them navigate 6 playoff games in 14 days. Again the Klash were staunch. Led by defenseman 3D MVP Keith Strassberg the Klash defense was steadfast and equal to the Scorpions fight. Throughout the playoffs, Strassberg carried the mail. He put forth tireless, lunch pail shifts that saw him provide whatever needed. His effort and physicality often disrupted the other side and, most importantly, kept pucks out of the net. In all, the Klash defense yielded just 6 goals in the playoffs.

Winner's Bracket

3D4 - Storming Back - Klash-D rally in the third to rebuff Bansheees 5-4

3D2 - Joey Pucks - O'Shea scores 5 as Banshees rush by Crokers 8-5 with 5 goals in the third